Kwashiorkor Politicians’: Cross River Governor Otu Slams ADC as He Courts Support for 2027

Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu has launched a blistering attack on the African Democratic Congress (ADC), dismissing the opposition group as a coalition of “kwashiokor politicians” incapable of leading Nigeria.

Otu made the remarks on Tuesday while receiving the endorsement of repentant members of the outlawed Bakassi Defence Force (BDF). The governor had disbursed ₦800 million in grants to support their reintegration, after which they pledged allegiance to his re-election bid in 2027.

‘A Distraction and Detractors’

“Some kwashiokor persons are making moves to take over power. They call themselves ADC,” Otu said. “They’re nothing more than detractors, a distraction.”

The governor also took aim at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), branding it “another sickly group” that could not return Nigeria to what he described as the “dark days.”

“As one who was once in opposition, I know detractors when I see them. They cannot achieve anything,” he added. “We’ve seen those who put Nigerians where they were before we came in. They won’t succeed.”

‘We Won’t Stifle Dissent’

Despite his combative rhetoric, Otu maintained that his administration would uphold democratic freedoms, insisting that opposition groups retain the right to mobilise and express dissent.

“Well, we’re in a democracy. And so, we won’t stop them from exercising their rights of speaking and grouping for political purposes,” he said.

The ADC has yet to respond to the governor’s remarks, but the comments are expected to heighten political tensions ahead of the 2027 general elections.